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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting November 10, 2014 <br />an upgrade. Widening, traffic lights, there is our understanding that it's too much <br />congestion in that particular area, and people are being off to work and going home. So, the <br />6. NEW BUSINESS (CONT.) <br />A. Public Hearings <br />(5) continued... <br />fairness of this conversation comes into play now. When you look at traffic counts on <br />Lincolnway West and also the Western Avenue traffic count, how come that gets a priority <br />(Douglas Road) when the same sort of traffic count and these other ones are becoming a <br />priority, but it's looking to the diminishing capacity of commerce in that area. We ought to <br />know that traffic brings commerce. We're clear on that. And we understand the more <br />traffic comes through the area the better off the areas is going to be because more people <br />probably spend in that area. So, now, there's a way of looking at how these plans are going <br />to work to restrict traffic because of the calming of traffic flow. That area needs the <br />injection of more traffic, versus less. I'm talking about things west of the river, I'm not <br />talking about Douglas Road, I'm talking about, in essence, Douglas Road being this sort of <br />attraction or this type of priority. Why can't Western Avenue or Lincolnway West get a <br />priority. The last point I want to make, and I'm going to be very quick with this, the last <br />Council meeting I asked the Council to support me on a bill to help stall the conversation for <br />what we're doing right now set up a Commission to develop what works for South Bend, not <br />for Indianapolis, not for New Albany, not for Elkhart, etc., but what works for South Bend. <br />I intend to vote down the things that have to do with Indianapolis TIF districts and why the <br />TIF districts will be vetted a few years ago. And it only makes sense that we would go <br />through an audit phase to say that this is what the people want, this is what how it will cost, <br />because I don't think we have enough to complete those plans. So, my whole deal is that <br />I'm asking you to pull back and let's look at what actually fits for us. It doesn't have to be a <br />Commission that meets for the next ten years, the next twelve months. It could be a four <br />month process, a three month process until we are actually clear and everybody her in this <br />room and all the rest are clear on what we have to spend and how we're going to spend it. <br />Slapping a plan like this and getting people hyped up or happy that something is going to <br />happen only makes things worse at the end of the day when you don't have it. Apathy has <br />taken over this community and because apathy has taken over this community it makes it <br />less likely for people to be engaged and it's time for them to be engaged. So I'm asking, I'm <br />pleading, that this be tabled, stalled, until we can get a clear understanding - - -a better <br />understanding, the Council and all the residents so that we can make a better push forward <br />and the attempt will be accepted by the residents that are saying we just don't understand <br />what's going on. Thank you. <br />Unidentified speaker: I second what he said. <br />Mr. Ford: I appreciate Council member Davis's comments also very much for drawing <br />attention to the pressing issues along Lincolnway West and Western Avenue. Just a few <br />comments. As it relates to finances, we submit an audit report every year to the Department <br />of Local Government Finance. It's a considerable report we do every year, in addition to a <br />27 <br />